Device for the discontinued preparation of pasta

ABSTRACT

Shown and described is a device for the discontinuous preparation of pasta such as spaghetti or similar, comprising a pasta supply unit ( 7 ); a pasta preparation unit closed off by inlet shutters ( 2 ) and outlet shutters ( 4 ), for cooking and draining the pasta; and a pasta dispenser unit where the design height has been reduced in that the pasta preparation unit comprises only a single chamber ( 1 ) which is used both for cooking and rinsing with cold water and draining the cooked pasta.

The invention relates to a device for the discontinuous preparation ofpasta such as spaghetti or similar, comprising a pasta supply unit and apasta preparation unit closed off by inlet shutters and outlet shutters,for cooking and draining the pasta.

1. Field of the Invention

Such a device is known from DE 195 00 973 A1. This known deviceessentially comprises a pasta supply unit configured as a dosing elementand a pasta preparation unit comprising a cooking chamber with a cookingchamber inlet and a cooking chamber outlet and a draining chamber whoseinlet is identical to the cooking chamber outlet.

At the bottom of the draining chamber there is a draining chamberoutlet. All apertures of the chamber are configured as inlet shutters oroutlet shutters. In its inlet region, the cooking chamber can be closedoff by a linear sliding shutter and the outlet region of the drainingchamber can also be closed off by a linear sliding shutter.

2. Description of Prior Art

With the known device, preparation of the apportioned pasta is asfollows:

First the outlet region of the cooking chamber is closed off from thedraining chamber by a shutter hingeable around an axis. After theapportioned quantity of pasta has been supplied to the cooking chamber,the upper aperture too of the cooking chamber is closed by the linearsliding shutter. To cook the pasta, fresh water is admitted to, andheated in, a heating chamber which surrounds the cooking chamber like anannular gap. For this purpose heating elements are arranged in thepartitioning wall between the cooking chamber and the heating chamber.At the same time a specified quantity of water is supplied to thecooking chamber which is then hermetically sealed.

By opening the check valve, the overpressure present in the cookingchamber after the actual cooking process, is released via a pressurerelief pipe which on the one side is connected via a check valve to adrainage pipe, and on the other side via a check valve and a pipe to thedraining chamber. Now the pressure in the cooking chamber is about thesame as that in the draining chamber. After closing the check valve, theswivellable shutter between the cooking chamber and the draining chambercan be o opened and the cooked pasta, together with the remainingcooking water, drop into the draining chamber.

A sieve provided in the bottom region of the draining chamber providesthe outlet to the outlet pipe. With the known device, draining is by wayof a drainage pump.

After separation of the pasta from the cooking water, the finishedportion of pasta can be discharged by means of the linear slidingshutter below, onto a plate or similar located in the pasta dispenserunit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The known device for the discontinuous preparation of pasta has thepotential for improvement. Since the device is preferably to beinstalled as an automatic device in public areas, it is the object ofthe present invention to reduce the size of the device. In addition itis desirable that the time for preparing the apportioned pasta, inparticular for preparing the first portion, when the device is stillcold, is reduced to a minimum, so as to cut down the waiting time forthe person requesting the product.

This object is met in that the pasta preparation unit only comprises asingle chamber which is used both for cooking and rinsing with coldwater and draining the cooked pasta.

In this way, by completely doing without a separate draining chamber, itwas possible to reduce the design height of the device for thediscontinuous preparation of pasta. In addition, there is no longer anyconveyance of the cooked pasta from the cooking chamber to the drainingchamber. Instead, rinsing with cold water can be started immediatelyfollowing the cooking process, within this single chamber; thus reducingthe entire preparation time for the pasta.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the single chamber is lowin mass. This low mass of the single chamber too, contributes to areduction in time of the preparation cycles because after rinsing withcold water and pressure relief, the cooler chamber of lower mass canagain reach operating temperature more quickly. To this effect, a singleheating coil surrounding the chamber, preferably an electricallyoperated heating coil, which may comprise several heating circuits, isparticularly suitable

According to further embodiments of the invention, the single chamber isof elongated shape with the inside being either conical or cylindrical.If the single chamber is cylindrical, it preferably comprises a conicalinsert. The conical shape of the cooking chamber by itself is alreadyknown from the known device; it ensures that the prepared pasta reliablyleaves the cooking chamber when the pasta is dispensed.

It is particularly suitable if a sieve is provided as a conical insertand if the conical insert is arranged so as to be spaced apart from theinterior wall of the single chamber. In this way, circulation of steamand water is facilitated and a direct contact between the hot interiorwall of the single chamber and the pasta is reliably prevented. Thesmaller contact area between pasta and sieve minimises the danger of“sticking”.

A further embodiment of the invention provides for the device to beconfigured as an automatic device comprising a hot water storage tank.By using a separate hot water storage tank, the time for heating thesingle chamber can be reduced still further, because during rinsing withcold water and dispensing the already prepared portion of pasta, therequired quantity of hot water for the next portion can already beheated in the hot water storage tank to a temperature exceeding theoperating temperature by such a margin that after this water is suppliedto the cooking chamber it has the necessary operating temperature. Ifsuch a hot water storage tank is used, it is advantageous i f the volumeand/or the operating temperature of the hot water storage tank is largerthan or higher than the volume or the operating temperature of thesingle chamber.

A particularly simple construction is achieved in that, according to afurther embodiment of the invention, the water inlet pipes and/or wateroutlet pipes of the single chamber are provided in the shutters closingoff the chamber. In this way, the single chamber only comprises theinlet apertures or outlet apertures, with all sealing elements beingarranged in the region of the shutters. This is of particular advantagealso for exchanging the sealing elements and for the respectivemaintenance work.

Below, the invention is illustrated in more detail in a drawing showingonly one embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The only FIGURE shows a diagrammatic cross section of the deviceaccording to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Shown is a single chamber 1, used as a cooking chamber and as a drainingchamber which is closed off at the top by an inlet shutter 2 which isdriven by a motor 3 so as to be slidable in linear movement along thedouble arrow. Towards the bottom, closing off is by an outlet shutter 4which is also slidable in a linear movement by a motor 5.

A heating coil 6 is arranged around the chamber 1. For operation, theupper inlet shutter 2 opens, resulting in an apportioned quantity ofpasta dropping into the chamber 1 whose interior comprises a conicalsieve 8, from a pasta supply unit 7 slidable above the chamber 1.

After closing the inlet shutter 2, a hot water storage tank 9 which ispreferably separate, comprising a heating coil 10, supplies a specifiedquantity of hot water by way of pump 16 to the chamber 1 via the hotwater pipe 15. This water had previously been supplied to the hot watertank 9 by a fresh water inlet 11 and a valve 12 from which an inlet pipe13 leads into chamber 1 and an inlet pipe 14 which leads into the hotwater storage tank.

Preferably, the temperature of the water already in the hot waterstorage tank is sufficiently high for the water forced into the chamber1 to be able to be brought immediately to operating temperature (cookingtemperature). To this effect, the chamber 1 is of course hermeticallysealed.

Even if in the embodiment shown, for the sake of clarity, the waterinlet and outlet pipes end in chamber 1, it is also imaginable tointegrate them into the sliding shutters 2 and 4 so as to keep chamber 1free of any further apertures.

Upon completion of the cooking process of the apportioned pasta, coldfresh water for rinsing the pasta is supplied to chamber 1 by way ofpipe 13. After cooling and pressure decrease, a valve (not shown) opensallowing the water in the single chamber 1 to drain via outlet 17. Ithas been shown that there is no need for a drainage pump if the outletof the single chamber 1 is arranged at the lowest point of said chamber1.

After complete draining of the water, the outlet shutter 4 opens, andthe prepared pasta can drop onto a plate 18 or similar provided in thepasta dispenser unit where it can be collected by the person requestingthe product.

During rinsing with cold water and removal of the prepared pasta, thenext batch of hot water is already being prepared in the hot waterstorage tank 9, so as speed up the preparation of the next portion ofpasta in chamber 1.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for the discontinuous preparation ofpasta such as spaghetti or similar, comprising a pasta supply unit and apasta preparation unit closed off by an inlet shutter for theintroduction of pasta into the pasta preparation unit and an outletshutter for the removal of pasta from the pasta preparation unit; saidpasta preparation unit characterized in that the pasta preparation unitcomprises a single chamber, having at least one water inlet pipe for theintroduction of water into the single chamber and at least one wateroutlet pipe for the drainage of water from the single chamber, which,pasta preparation unit in combination with heating means, is used forcooking the pasta and subsequently rinsing said cooked pasta with water;the pasta being removed through the outlet shutter; and said singlechamber being of elongated shape, with the inside being cylindrical,comprising a conical insert.
 2. A device according to claim 1,characterized in that a sieve is provided as a conical insert.
 3. Adevice according to claim 1, characterized in that the conical insert isarranged so as to be spaced apart from the interior wall of the chamber.4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least oneof the water inlet pipes and water outlet pipes of the single chamberare provided in the inlet shutters or outlet shutters.